GVI, Ethical Impact: Volunteer in Costa Rica

When I signed up to GVI Costa Rica I was excited to see and work with the exotic animals in the rainforest. What I was not expecting was they amazing people that I would be working with, from making close friendships with the other participants, to lifetime bonds with the staff members themselves. This made the experience that much more rewarding and made it a joy to go out on surveys every morning and night to look at wonderful snakes and frogs, with equally amazing people. I would 100% recommend this to anyone considering a role in conservation, or anyone like myself who was simply looking to break the monotony of work life.

I participated in the Bird Research program in Kéköldi (Costa Rica) for a month and had a wonderful time. I would definitely do another GVI program in the future.

What went well:
- The staff on base are all extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. They were a real inspiration to be around and I learnt so much from them. As well as being enthusiastic and professional, they are also really lovely and supportive people.
- Pre-departure support is really good - you get a lot of useful information and a packing list. You also get a support coordinator who is there to answer questions before you travel.
- The base is situated in the heart of the rainforest - you're up close to nature and it's really peaceful (photo attached). You share the base with a Bribri family who were all so welcoming despite my lack of Spanish! There is also a library so you can read up on different species during your downtime.
- As well as conducting surveys, there was a well-run program of talks throughout my time there. Talks were given by interns, volunteers and staff and I learnt about wildlife photography, big cats, deforestation, snakes, moths & butterflies. I had the opportunity to do a presentation of my own - this was a fun project and a good way to gain a deeper knowledge of my chosen species.
- Most participants came from conservation backgrounds which was nice to see. Everyone was passionate about animals and the environment.

What could be improved:
- The only reason I am not giving 5 stars is because the GVI marketing team need to be more joined up with staff on the ground. As of 23/06/2023 there are still references to jaguars on the GVI website - this is only applicable to the old site in Jalova as there are no jaguars in Kéköldi (but there is an ocelot!) My recommendation to the marketing team is to get staff on base to proof-read your marketing copy to make sure it's accurate and not misleading.

My advice to prospective participants:
- Speak to alumni so you get a good idea of the program and life on base, or have a look at the program's Instagram page (if there is one)
- Make sure you are fit - there is a lot of hiking in 30C heat!

I got to live in the rainforest for a month volunteering with GVI in Kekoldi, Costa Rica. Everyday we could see various exotic birds just from the base. Toucans were more common to see than pigeons in the city. We surveyed different trails in the rainforest (during the day and night), listening to bird calls and looking for specific physical traits and behaviors of the species encountered to identify and record them. Getting to see these creatures in their natural habitat was such a gift. Nothing could compare to the feeling of joy and excitement when I encountered a Red-Eyed Tree Frog for the first time on a night survey. Overall it was the experience of a lifetime. I definitely plan on volunteering with GVI again someday.

I've volunteered with GVI 3 separate times now, and each trip has been a fantastic experience! I most recently volunteered with GVI Kekoldi in Costa Rica for 2 weeks on their turtle programme. The base team are amazing at bringing you up to speed when you arrive with lots of training and then supporting you as you get to grips with the surveys in the field. All the other volunteers are always amazing and it's so great to meet other likeminded people from around the world. The GVI main office team provide you with lots of information before you go on what to expect and pack and are super helpful if you have any questions.

A little bit more about the Kekoldi base: 4 days a week the turtle volunteers support Cahuita Turtle Rescue (a local organisation of some of the most inspirational people I've ever met) with night surveys, protecting eggs from poachers, and supporting efforts to protect the local leatherback sea turtle population. For the other 2 days of the week, the volunteers get involved with the jungle based biodiversity surveys involving bird, amphibian and reptile surveys. It's great to be able to experience both types of survey that the base offers as they're very different!

The programmes GVI offer are a fantastic way to travel and experience a country in a completely different way to normal. I would have loved to spend more time on the Costa Rica programme and can't recommend the experience more highly!

I recently spent four weeks volunteering with GVI in Cahuita, Costa Rica. It truly was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. After only four weeks I had completely fallen in love with the staff, the other volunteers, and the work we were doing in Cahuita National Park.

We spent most of our days conducting surveys in Cahuita National Park. The surveys contributed to Cahuita National Park's conservation efforts. While on a survey, it was common to see sloths, raccoons, eyelash palm vipers, monkeys, and a few different species of frogs and lizards.

For the birders out there, we conducted several surveys solely dedicated to research on the birds in Cahuita National Park. I saw violaceous and slaty-tailed trogons, keel-billed toucans, white-collared manakins, montezuma oropendolas, and countless other bird species on a regular basis.
We also had the opportunity to watch the migration of several migratory bird species, such as the osprey, turkey vulture and swaisons hawk, from a bird tower in the heart of the Kéköldi Indigenous Reserve. From the top of the bird tower you have a beautiful view of the ocean, the surrounding forest, and the birds flying overhead. We were able to watch the birds fly right above us and help Kéköldi hawkwatch count the migrating birds.

On the weekends, myself, and the other volunteers spent our time exploring Cahuita and neighboring places. We visited the Jaguar Rescue Center in Limón. We went snorkeling at Punta Cahuita. We went shopping and visited the white sand beaches in Puerto Viejo.

Volunteering with GVI in Cahuita, Costa Rica is the ideal opportunity for any animal lover interested in studying and protecting the incredible wildlife in Costa Rica. And, in addition, to being an amazing experience, volunteering with GVI is a worthwhile way to jumpstart a career in conservation. Those looking for a meaningful way to spend a gap year or semester; those who are considering a career in conservation, or those who are simply interested in doing a little bit of good while living on the coast in one of the most picturesque countries in the world, should check out this program.

Never felt the intensity like that going to another country by myself and feeling secure soon as I met up with Gvi and from there on was amazing. With that being said my time on base was amazing no phones so basically you and your group socializing and getting to know about other cultures. Being on surveys I always knew I’d see something and maybe you don’t but being out there all you can do is believe you will. On the way to base the first thing we saw was a jaguar track and that let me know I’m in for a crazy experience that I can’t live down

Have you ever tried to just focus on one thing at a time. No distraction. No influence. My experience with GVI was a bit like that, you see I could fully immerse myself with wildlife, from the moment I woke up right to patrol at night counting turtle eggs. The staff was also brilliant, not only were they a crucial part to my leaning because of their experience mixed with knowledge but they were always positive. I think that was very important because it allowed a safe environment to learn but also a good place to be interactive with both staff and other volunteers. I've enjoyed my stay so much that even though I've been back from this experience for a few days I'm planning to return next year! If I could give two pieces of advice to anyone going is that A) you should really consider to do 4 weeks+ this is because you start having all the opportunities but as soon as you get used to it you leave. B) bring an outfit in a ziplock bag for your flight home because your clothes will smell of Jalova. but just to recap, it's one of the best experience you can get not only to work on conservation but also yourself

I've spent two month in Jalova scientific base in Costa Rica. It is located in Tortuguero National Park, in the middle of the rainforest just next to the Caribbean sea. It's been a wonderful experience, both social and scientifically enriching. I've loved my trip here and it taught me a lot about local species, biodiversity conservation and more specifically about jaguars, especially jaguar behavioring here in TNC, sea turtles and also birds. Everyday, we could learn something new or see species that we've never seen before as, around base, biodiversity is incredible and really unique.
Moreover, life on base was very basic. For example, we took water from a well and at night we were using torches; nevertheless it was such a good experience to live like this and we didn't feel like missing something, just adapting to live in the middle of the jungle without a lot of electricity and mosquitos instead.
People around here are really nice and friendly as well, and most of all very open minded which helps making your trip even better and enriching.
Finally, it was worth the trip to see all these different species of animals such as amphibians, reptiles, mammals, bugs and a lot of birds. I was impressed by the staff's knowledge about that and learned a lot in the field.
Finally, we could enjoy our free time by relaxing on the beach, reading a book, cooking for everybody, gardening, going birding in the coco plantation next to base or even building a new ping pong area at the time I was on base which was a really good experience too.
All volunteers feel involved in the conservation programs on base and all of our activities were important for the data, so I would say that volunteering in Jalova is really worth it.